Foldable ironing board



.J. H. RICHARDSON.

FOLDING IRONING BOARD.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7, I92I.

Patente Feb 28, m2.

PATENT ()FFICE.

JAMES H. RICHARDSON, OF FAULKTON, SOUTH DAKOTA.

FOLDABLE IRON IN G BOARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

Application filed February 7, 1821. Serial No. 448,112.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. RICHARDSON, a citizen of the United States,residi at Faulkton, in the county of Faulk and fi ftate of South Dakota,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Foldable IroningBoards, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings.

Ordinary ironing boards, which are supported upon tables, or upon twospaced su ports, and when not in use are stood in t 0 corner or in thecupboard, or otherwise out of the Way, are not only impractical to adegree, but are troublesome, and very inconvenient. Ironing boards ofthis character, when mounted ontwo spaced supports, are very apt tobecome disenlgaged from their supports while in use. urthermore they aremore or less in the way, when stood in the corner or in cupboards, andalso the cloth will become soiled, and also dusty.

The present invention involves an ironing board collapsably supported inthe housing to be carried by the wall, the wall subsequently to theconstruction of the building, or embedded in the wall permanently at thetime of the construction of the building, thereby supporting the ironingboard out of the way, and at the same time housing and protecting thesame from becoming soiled and dusty.

The invention further contemplates the provision of a housing havingupper and lower panels, which when closed have their outer faces flushwith the margin or edge of the-sides and ends of the housing, and incombination with an ironing board, which is secured to the lower panel,so that when both panels are closed, the ironing board is enclosed inthe housing or casing.

The bottom of the housing adjacent the upper and lower ends thereof hasabutments, with which the ironing board engages, so as to limit theironing board in its closed position, whereby the outer faces of thepaneis may be flush with the edge of the side and end walls. The upperpanel is hiugedly connected to the lower panel, and

constitutes a leg to support the ironing board extended. The abutmentsare of;such size and construction as not to be engaged by the padding onthe surface of the iron ing board in such a manner as would obstruct theclosing of the board and the either attached to reduction of theinvention to a more practical form for commercial purposes, theinvention may be susceptible of changes, and the right to these changesis claimed, provided they are comprehended within the scope of what isclaimed.

The invention comprises further features and combinationof parts, aswill be hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

Inthe drawin z- Figure 1 is a new in perspective, showing the casing orhousing as attached to the wall, wherein the ironing board is contained.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the easing, with the ironing boardcollapsed ready for use.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view on line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view on line 4-4: of Figure 3, showingthat the board proper is ofless width than the reinforced part of-theboard, as well as less width than the width of the leg, so that theironing board proper may easily enter the receptacle in such wise thatthe pad will not engalgle the sides of the receptacle.

eferring to the drawings, 1 designates a suitable receptacle or housingor casing, which ma be constructed of any suitable material, preferablywood, though it is obvious that it may be constructed of'metal, andfurthermore it may be any suitable width or length, or thickness, itdepending entirely upon the requirements. This casin 1 or housing isrovided at its upper an lower ends with abutments 2 and 3. The housingis provided with upper and lower panels 8 and 11, which are hingedlyunited as at 10. The lower panel is hingedly conclearly in the drawingsand designated by the numeral 6, may be attached or otherwise fastenedto the longitudinal edges of the board, as shown at 7. The idea ofconstructing the board of a width less than the width of the housing, isto permit the board to as some a position between the sides of thehousing, and in such wise that the pad or cloth will not interfere withthe ironing board when it is positioned between the sides of thehousing. The lower panel 8 constitutes a brace or reinforcement for theironing board, in order to strengthen the same, as well as easilysupporting it when the board is in use. This panel 8 extendssubstantially half the length of the board, and is fastened thereto byany suitable means, such as cement, screws or the like, preferablycement, and moreover this panel is of a width approximately corresonding to that of the width of the casing or ousing.

The abutments 2 and 3 are thick enough, so that when the are engagedwith by the board, the outer aces of the upper and lower panels 8 and 11will assume positions flush with the edges of the sides and ends of thehousing. The upper'end of the panel-11 has a suitable latching means, orlook for holdencased in the housing. When the ironing board is in usethe lock or latching means is released, allowing the upper panel to bedisposed in a perpendicular position to engage the floor, with theironing board horizontally disposed, thereby enabling the board to besup orted rigid and solid. When the upper and lower panels are closedand the ironing board housed, the upper panel 11 is disposed adjacentthe surface of the board. Usually when the board is disposed ready foruse, it will not interfere with mo ping or sweeping to any great de ree,thoug it is obvious that the board may e slightly raised and the panel11 disengaged from the floor so that a mop or broom ma pass under thefree end edge of the pane after which the panel may be replaced inposition to firmly support the board.

The board is designed to be arranged in a suitable location on the wallof the kitchen, so that it is at all times convenient, and can be easilywithdrawn from the casing or housing, and disposed in position ready foruse. The present form of ironing board is strong, durable, efficient andpractical, and furthermore only one movement of the upper panel isnecessary to dispose the board in position for use. Only one movement isnecessary to close the two panels and dispose the ironing board withinthe housing in an out of the way position. It will be noted that thepresent form of ironing board and housing therefor dispenses withpulleys, weights, slides and springs which are continua ly getting outof order in other constructions of ironin'gboards'. When the two upperand lower panels are closed and the board housed, the board is keptclean and protected from dirt and dust. The housing or casing togetherwith the panels and the attached board, may be easily and very quicklydetached or removed from the wall or other place.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed as being useful is:ing the .panel closed, with the ironing board The combination with ahousing to be supported on the Wall, a door having a lower panelhingedly connected at its lower edge to the housing and adapted whenclosed to assume a position with its outer face flush with the frontedges of the housing, an upper panel hingedly connected to the lowerpanel, and adapted to support the lower panel in a horizontal positionwhen removed from the housing, and adapted to close the upper part ofthe housing when dis sed in ver tical position, and an ironin oardcarried by the lower panel, and a apted to enter the housing, when thedoor is closed.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

JAMES H. RICHARDSON.

